1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of packaging. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a combination container including a first container containing a beverage and presenting a base, a second container containing an edible solid and presenting an upper surface engaged with the base of the first container, and a band of heat-shrunk material surrounding the containers on either side of the joint therebetween for coupling the containers into a unitary package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has recognized the need to present items that must be packaged separately as a unitary package for distribution efficiency and consumer convenience. For example, a beverage and an edible solid may need to be individually packaged, but it may be desirable to market the two as a unitary package. Such might include coffee and a pastry, juice and a sandwich, or soup and a salad. A unitary package facilitates distribution especially through vending machines.
The prior art, however, has not adequately addressed the need for unitary packaging of different products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,976 discloses containers that require custom configurations. This and other prior art attempts have not presented a unitary package that is economical to assembly yet adaptable for a wide variety of products.